1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a printer, and more particularly, to a method of transmitting changed printer information in real time to a network, and a method of changing printer information set in a network printer and a host.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 is a diagram of a printing system having a conventional network printer. The printing system includes a host 10, a communications network 30, and a network printer 40. The host 10 has network printer related programs 20 (hereinafter referred to as “programs”) which communicate with the network printer 40 through the communications network 30.
The programs 20 set printer information of the network printer 40 in the host 10, and using the printer information, communicate with the network printer 40 and perform needed functions.
A port monitor and a status monitor can be used as the programs. The port monitor transmits printing data to the network printer corresponding to printer information, and the status monitor receives printer information from the network printer 40 corresponding to the printer information.
For example, in a WINDOWS® system, programs 20 store printer information in an init file (e.g., “printer.ini”) or the WINDOWS® registry, and using the printer information, communicate with the network printer 40.
That is, when the programs 20 are installed in the host 10, the programs 20 receive printer information of the network printer 40 linked to the network 30, set (or store) the printer information in a predetermined area of the host 10, and using the set printer information, communicate with the network printer 40.
However, if the printer information changes, the changed printer information is not transmitted to the host 10, and therefore the programs 20 cannot communicate with the network printer 40. Accordingly, the user must install the programs 20 again whenever the printer information changes, or must change the printer information of the host 10 after obtaining changed printer information.
Also, when the printer information changes, users of the programs 20 cannot use the programs 20 because the user does not know the changed printer information. In addition, when the printer information changes, it may be incorrectly determined that errors occurred in the programs 20 or in the network printer 40 because changed printer information cannot be known in real time.